[Dixielandjazz] Saint Louis Blues ~ Louis ~ Stan Brager

[Marek Boym]

>
> While the greatness of Miles Davis and what he accomplished in the jazz
> world is certainly something that cannot be denied,

Why can't it?  Ever heard of Christopher Marlowe?  I rather doubt it.
He was a playwright in Shakespeare's times, and was considered the
best.  Yet, other than Volpone, his plays have been forgotten and even
Volpone I've only seen played by university students theatre groups,
neve a professonal theatre.

 as with Marek, he has
> never really been exactly my cup of tea.
>
>> Due to the fact that he lost his life in a car accident at the tender age of
> 26, we will never truly know what would have eventually become of the career
> of Clifford Brown and can only speculate.

Long ago, and I wish I couldn't say so, I knew his style very well,
and never took to it.  Once, to convince me (reeducation, you see,
just like in Communist countries), a friend played Brownie doing
standards.  my reaction was: "First, it's Clifford Brown, and second -
stop that boring music."  But nobody is perfect - I admit liking Fats
Navarro/
>

>
> I have avoided naming such figures as Harry James and Doc Severinsen due to
> the fact that I do not believe that the vast majority of their work could
> really be considered jazz but being the big band lover that I will always
> be, I'm sure you will agree with me that they are at least deserving of
> honorable mention here.

I don't know about Doc, but James' certainly was.  Many years ago I
mentioned James as a great jazz trumpeter at our jazz evening, and a
Canadian journalist friend objected, quoting his "terrible dance band
sound."  We proceeded to play James with the boogie woogie pianists,
Just a Mood with Wilson and Norvo, and some other old recordings.  He
guessed it was James (from the context), but claimed he had never
heard James playing like that.  Nevertheless, I have heard some
excellent jazz played by James' later bands, albeit mixed with lots of
shmaltzy ballads and with some of that "terrible dance band sound."
Cheers
>
>